Israeli tourists with skullcaps assaulted in Jordan market

Mens’ Jewish headgear ‘provoked the sensibilities of the vendors,’ Jordanian daily reports

By Elhanan Miller 5 June 2012, 4:07 pm Edit

Elhanan Miller is the former Arab affairs reporter for The Times of Israel

Tourists in the Jordanian city of Petra (illustrative photo credit: Audrey Attia/Flash90)

Six Israeli tourists were assaulted Monday in a market in southern Jordan, local media reported, after vendors were angered by their traditional Jewish skullcaps.

The six men and women arrived at a market in the town of Rabba, 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of the capital Amman, when one of the vendors identified the tourists as Israeli due to mens’ skullcaps, which “provoked the sensibilities of the vendors,” independent daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm reported.

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The vendor proceeded to assault the men with shoes, a symbol of disdain in Arab culture. The Israeli tourists fled the area in their cars as buyers joined the attack, the daily reported.

No information was reported on their condition or if they remained in Jordan.

“Israelis are not wanted in the market,” a shopper told Al-Arab Al-Yawm. “Those who talk about peace between Israelis and Jordanians are delusional. The signed agreements are nothing but ink on paper. They are meaningless.”

An Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman told The Times of Israel he was unaware of the incident.